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Evelyn Bonnen writes: “ Hi Chris recently my son used the word "Jez". Although he did not say "Jesus" for expression, I still told him not to say it. Am I correct in telling him this?”

Response:

God has commanded that His name is not to be taken in vain. Now this commandment does have a spiritual meaning regarding those that professed to be Jews and were not; and to those that profess to be Christians and are not. But it also has a practical application that God’s name is off limits to mankind for everyday use as an expression or a as a curse word.

Exodus 20: 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

I think it would be a good idea to explain the reason why it’s not a good thing to speak a variation of God’s name. A mother could use something like this as a teaching opportunity to instruct her son concerning the law of God regarding ‘not taking His name in vain’. Traditionally, people have known that they were not to take God’s name in vain, and so a whole series of other words have sprung up whose sole purpose has been to get around this particular commandment of God. Some deceitful sinner in the past thought he/she would outsmart God and take a couple of syllables found in the word ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’ and slightly change a letter or two. For some people a word like this becomes habitual. But it’s not a good habit to get into at all.  Using an expression like this reveals a desire to transgress one of God’s laws and doing so in a deceitful manner by attempting to get around the letter of the law while breaking it with the deeper intent.

A mother or father is charged with raising our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. We desire to point out God’s laws while also letting them know that we are all law breakers and Christ’s atoning work from the foundation of the world was to pay for all the many transgressions for each one of His elect people. A parent can share that God requires obedience for all His commandments (including not taking His name in vain) and yet our hope is not in our own obedience (since no man is justified by the keeping of the law) but our hope is that Christ has become our righteousness through His perfect obedience.

Luis António Katiavala Toi asks: “ Why do some people worship on the first day of the week?”

Response:

At the beginning of the world God worked 6 days to create and then rested the 7th day (Saturday) and established that the 7th day was to be the day of rest. All throughout the Old Testament period (which lasted for about 11,000 years) the 7th day Saturday was the Sabbath day. The spiritual meaning of resting on the Sabbath involved God’s plan to save a people for Himself based upon the work of Jesus Christ on their behalf. Through the weekly 7th day cycle of rest God was instructing mankind that they could not do anything to get themselves saved. Salvation was completely of the Lord. Anyone that God would save must REST in His salvation. They should not think that they could contribute the slightest bit of work towards God saving them. The command to not work on the 7th day pointed to refraining from doing any work in which a man might say he contributed to his own salvation:

Galatians 2: 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, ...

Basically, for over 11,000 years the 7th day Saturday Sabbath was teaching all people that they could do nothing to get themselves saved. Do not work wherein you contribute in any way to salvation was its constant theme.

But once Jesus went to the cross He demonstrated His atoning (saving) work that was done for all those He determined to save from the foundation of the world. The spiritual meaning of the 7th day Sabbath was fulfilled by Jesus as He went to the cross. The cross pictured Christ’s work performed for His elect people.

And so, when Jesus rose early Sunday morning God changed the Sabbath day from the Old Testament 7th day (Saturday) to the New Testament first day (Sunday) Sabbath. The underlying Greek text for the King James Bible clearly reveals God’s change in Sabbath.

Here’s the verse in the King James Bible:

Matthew 28: 1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,

And below is the Greek text of Matthew 28:1 with the literal rendering of the verse:

Ὀψὲ (after) δὲ σαββάτων (the Sabbaths) , τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ (at the dawning) εἰς (into) μίαν (first) σαββάτων (of Sabbaths) ,

In Matthew 28:1 God says the Sabbaths came to an end. This is referring to the series of 7th day Saturday Sabbaths that had been in effect for over 11,000 years.

Then God says, “...as it began to dawn into the first of the Sabbaths”. Early that Sunday morning God decreed that Sunday would be the new Sabbath day for the New Testament age. No longer would Saturday the 7th day be the Sabbath. It (the 7th day) had accomplished its purpose. From that day on anyone seeking to keep the 7th day Sabbath would be in violation of the Word of God. Sunday (the first day of the week) would now be the Sabbath.

And as we read the New Testament we find that the disciples understood this very well. They gathered together on Sunday. They collected funds for the saints on Sunday. This continues up until our day. Sunday is God’s holy day. Sunday is the Sabbath.

Kennie Smith comments: “ also curious that mountains are also portrayed in the bible at times as as high places and strong holds when it comes to being against the truth as they are false gosples and are against the truth. And therefore it would be fitting that the waters prevailed over and above them during the flood.”

Response:

Genesis 7: 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

Yes you’re correct. The high hills point to where the idolatrous high places have been worshiped. And the mountains point to the kingdom of Satan being overcome by the wrath of God in the Day of Judgment:


Revelation 17: 9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Seven heads of Satan point to his periods of rule throughout the history of the world. When God brought judgment on Satan and the world (May 21, 2011) it typified that judgment as the waters (Word of God) overcoming the mountains (kingdom of Satan of this world).

Laila Sobel asks: “

Hello Chris. What are your thoughts about the meaning of the opening of the Sixth Seal? End days?

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For that great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 6:12-17).”

Response:

The language we find in this passage ties in with a good deal of other biblical language describing the time which comes immediately AFTER the tribulation and the time of the world’s final judgment. For example, Revelation 6 mentions heaven departing as a scroll and the stars falling as figs. It is very similar to what we find in the book of Isaiah:

Isaiah 34: 4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

Isaiah 34:4 is set in this context:

Isaiah 34:

1 Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations,...

Also,

Isaiah 34: 8 For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.

Since the heavens departing as a scroll and the language of stars falling as figs ties in with this passage in Isaiah 34 describing the day of the LORD’s wrath---we can be sure that that is also the focus of Revelation 6:12ff. Many other Scriptures would confirm this.

Rafael Gonzalez writes: “

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

In Genesis 1:1 could the phrase in the beginning relate to the Lord Jesus. Since in Proverbs 4:7 wisdom is called the principal thing and in the beginning and the phrase the principal thing are the same word
Strongs H7225.

Thank you.”

Response:

Yes you are correct. The Hebrew word translated as 'beginning' in Genesis 1:1 is the same Hebrew word translated as 'principal thing' in Proverbs 4:7:

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:

We could read this as: 'wisdom is the beginning: therefore get wisdom.'

Later on in Proverbs chapter 8 wisdom takes on a personality (the personality of the Lord Jesus Christ) and we read:

Proverbs 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

Before God acted upon this creation there was Wisdom (Christ). Wisdom (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. And we could say Wisdom was God. As God tells us this very thing concerning the Word of God:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

A little further on in John 1 it says:

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Wisdom (Christ) is the principal thing (the beginning) regarding the creation of the world; and regarding the foundation of a person's life. The most important thing for any person is Christ.

Michael Aitchison writes: “

Chris,
Is David a picture of Christ in this passage, refusing to accept a works gospel from those He came to save? If not what is the spiritual meaning of this passage?

1 Chronicles 11:17-19
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!

And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord.

And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.”

Response:

David likened the water the men had risked their lives for to their blood. According to Leviticus 17:11 the life is in the blood. And David poured out the water (likened to their blood) to the Lord. The Hebrew word (Strong's #5258) translated as 'poured' is used in association with pouring out drink offerings. This word is used with offerings to false gods, but it is also used in a proper offering to the Lord in this verse:

Numbers 28:7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured (#5258) unto the LORD for a drink offering.

A drink offering poured out to the Lord is a sacrifice. So their desire to give David drink could be understood in the following way:

David is a picture of Christ. And Christ blessed those that gave Him drink in the parable of the separation of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:35). To give Christ (David) drink points to bringing the gospel to the elect (body of Christ). Therefore the desire of these three men was a good desire. David recognizes that they had hazarded their lives and likened the water to their own blood (their life). He then poured out the water (their blood or life) to the Lord as an offering. This reminds us of this Scripture:

Romans 12: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

God's people present themselves as a living sacrifice in service to Christ. Just as these mighty men of David gave up their lives to bring him a drink.

Gary Daniels writes: “ Hi Chris, If we are correct so far with the Timeline of History, can we say at least that if the last person saved before may 21 2011 was conceived and lives 80 years, the World will definitely end before the year 2100, as believers must still remain alive to be raptured according to 1 th 4:15-16? Can we at least narrow down the world lasting up until 2100, as we wait for more understanding?”

Response:

What if they lived to be a 100?

You do raise a good point: the Bible does indicate God's elect are alive and living on the earth at the time of the end (rapture and day of resurrection). This helps us to realize that the answer to Christ's question: when the Son of man comes will He find faith on the earth? Insofar as the elect are concerned: since they are present the answer is yes.

Michael Ray writes: “

AV 2Ch 1:11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

AV 2Ch 1:12 Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

Is these verses god gave Solomon those things he didnt ask for along with Wisdom. These things are of the world so could we conclude that the wisdom Solomon had was to judge the things of the world?”

Response:

No I don't think so. Remember the queen of Sheba came to Solomon to hear his wisdom and asked him many difficult questions.

1 Kings 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.
3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

From all we can gather Solomon was given understanding of a great many things related to the kingdom of God.

But understanding some things the Bible says does not make a person saved. Even understanding 'spiritual meanings' is not salvation. For instance, we read the following regarding the Bible's use of parables:

Proverbs 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

The Hebrew word translated as 'dark sayings' is Strong's #2420. It is used in a similar way in the psalms:

Psalm 49:4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

This Hebrew word (#2420) is the same Hebrew word translated as 'hard questions' in 1 Kings 10:1 (the queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with hard questions). Solomon had answers to her questions regarding 'dark sayings' or parables.

This is a good admonition to all that have some understanding of the 'dark sayings' or 'hard questions' of God found in the Bible. Understanding some spiritual meanings or knowing the answer to some 'mysteries of God' is not in itself salvation. No matter how much we know or think we know.

God dramatically shows us that knowledge of the dark sayings (parables) of the Bible are not full proof evidence of salvation by using the very same word (#2420) in this passage:

Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

A king of fierce countenance will have an understanding of DARK SENTENCES (#2420). Dark sentences is the same as dark sayings. And the king of fierce countenance is a reference to Satan. As he is loosed at the time of the end and assaults the churches and congregations of the world.

We can be sure that if Satan has some understanding of dark sentences so too will the emissaries of Satan (the unsaved professed Christians).

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